Art Is Messy

Hello All!

I have been blogging for some time now, a personal blog, but my coworker has inspired me to document my art class!

I teach art at a preschool in Madison, WI to 3 and 4 years old. Not only do we creat art but discuss the different elements of art.

You may be thinking, "art" and "3 and 4 year olds" in the same sentence? YES!

It is amazing what children can do.

Don't get me wrong, it is extremely challenging and exhausting, especially if you're pregnant, but the outcome it completely worth it.

To hear a teacher tell me that their kids were discussing warm and cool colors during their free choice makes me want to sing. Or to hear them throwing around art "jargon" (like "texture" or "representational" -jooooooking-). Or to see them take their art project in a whole different direction that I thought possible. Well to put it lightly...it's amazing.  

 They DO listen! They DO take something from class. They really are taking their time, being creative.

Two of my main theories while teaching:

1. Art is messy.

If they are going to get paint or any other medium on them I tell them before we start class, and they now know to respond, "That's ok! It's art!"

2. Art is not perfect.

I obviously go into each class with a vision in mind of what I would LIKE to project to turn out to be. Does that always work?

Well let's just say if I had a dime for every time a project turned out just like I envisioned...I'd be broke.

It is the projects that look *nothing* like my vision that are the most eye catching.

To me though, it really is about the process. I don't want to do the project for them, I want them to do as much as possible for themselves. (With that being said though, there are some things I plan that I do have to adapt for them.) I want them to show their own style and ability, have them really be proud to know that they did it all themselves!

 Projects are much more interesting when the child has taken control of it. With that being said, it has been a huge process for me, Ms. Perfect When It Comes to Art, to let them do things like that.

"Oh you want the grass to be purple? Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuure..."tug on my hair" that will look great!!"

So why am I doing this blog?

Well, I love blogs. I love Pinterest. Both have been a huge inspiration for several of my projects. However, not once have I seen a blog where the art teacher is teaching to preschoolers. So now..I am that blog.

Enjoy my journey. It may be an exhausting and messy one, but it's really rewarding.

So pull up your computer and put on your art smock.

We are going to get messy.